Containers useful for storing or containing solid medicaments to be used in the home or at a stationary location typically include either a cardboard container or a plastic bottle. For convenience purposes, however, it is preferred that some medicaments, particularly over-the-counter medicaments such as cold remedies, pain relievers, vitamins and the like, be stored in containers which are easily portable in the user's pocket or purse. When the user of such a medicament carries the container in his or her pocket or purse, however, the container is subjected to an increased risk of damage from impact and to increased stress from frequent use and manipulation both of which act to break the container or more easily force the container open subjecting the contents of the container to contamination or loss.
Portable containers, such as a metal box used for throat lozenges, are known in the art. However, many prior art containers open too easily under the stresses of portable use due to weak materials of construction or insufficient closure mechanisms. Other portable prior art containers have the opposite problem, namely, they are difficult to open, particularly for the elderly or those with conditions which adversely affect manual dexterity. Attempts to improve the closures of some of the prior art containers, such as by use of safety cap features make it overly difficult for the user of a typical over-the-counter or prescription medicament to open the portable container. In addition, most portable containers do not allow the user of the medicament to view the contents of the container without opening the container.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a portable medicament container which is of a size that easily fits within a pocket or purse, and which sufficiently withstands the increased risk of damage and stress derived from portable use without inadvertently opening, but which remains easy to open upon application of manual force by the user. Further, a need exists for such a container which also includes a feature wherein the contents of the container may be easily viewed through a portion of the container without requiring the user to open the container.
The present invention provides a portable medicament container having an improved positive closure strong enough to withstand the stress of portable use, but which is easily opened by the user. In addition, the present invention provides such a portable container which also includes a transparent area which allows the user to view a portion of the contents of the container without opening the container.